I bought this drive and replace an existing SATA1 drive.
After re-booting, my motherboard and windows cannot see it.
I then downloaded the Feature Tool from hitachi site.
But it still does not show it.
Does it mean a dead drive?

I had the exact same problem with a Hitachi drive. You need to run the feature tool with the drive plugged into a SATA2 system. The drive can then be set to SATA1 and then it will work with your SATA1 system. The drive is set up for SATA2 by default and cannot be recognized on a SATA1 until the feature has been set.

If there are no jumpers to force SATA I, and you can't run the Hitachi config tool, here's another alternative that might help out...

I have a USB 2 to SATA/IDE adapter (generic, $22, at local store). My SATA II Samsung Hard Drive IS recognized in Windows via this interface, whether I have the SATA I jumper on or not.

Unfortunately, based upon my own experience, this does not guarantee the Hitachi config tool will even find the drive on the USB bus, to let you set the drive to SATA I. I know some hard drive utilities from manufacturers only search a certain interface (e.g. IDE), and won't find their own drives attached to USB.

Maybe someone with this drive, and a USB/SATA adapter, and the Hitachi config tool, could try it on USB, and post their results?

Hmmm... Does the config tool run under Windows? That could make a difference, as far as USB access working.

Anyone at NCIX care to offer an opinion if this config tool will work via USB?

... later edit ...

I dl'd and tested the feature tool; it runs in PC DOS, from a bootable diskette or CD. SO, on an older motherboard, without USB support, the Hitachi Feature Tool did NOT pick up the drive on the USB bus, because it was not recognized in the BIOS.

IF a newer motherboard BIOS recognizes the drive on the USB bus at boot-up, it might work for you; again, only if the tool even looks at the USB bus; still don't know that!

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